Unforgettable Face
by halfdemon-kai
Summary: Have you ever been met with the face that you missed the most and have it be a different person? The person that you missed long gone... wouldn't you want them back too? Richter X Emil


_Hello everyone! This is my first ToS fic and it was kind of an idea waiting to happen. My buddy Kazegami-Inkpot gave me the beginning idea but before I couldn't put the idea into words. Tonight it just randomly came out of my head while I was reading another one shot that I wrote a little while ago._

_I hope that you enjoy it. :D _

**_Unforgettable Face_**

How come everyone else got to live their lives so freely? Why was I the only one that had to live in such a hell hole?

The first time I saw his face… my heart burned with anger and yet I longed for that face. I wanted to see that face smiling back at me again, telling me that the other people were wrong and that nothing was wrong with being a half elf… His was the same, though this face did not remember the long lost friendship we had held.

I hated him for it. At first I was so enraged that I couldn't bear it. When I first spoke to him I knew that I wanted to get away. That's why I went to another part of Luin… to get away from him.

In those few minutes that I was away from him… I realized that it wasn't his fault. The kid didn't seem to remember, so how could it have been his fault? How could you blame someone that didn't remember?

When he caught up to me – followed after me – I still felt cold toward the kid… but I didn't hate him. My heart was filled with anguish at the death of my best friend Aster. If there was anything that I needed to admit, it was that I missed him dearly.

This kid looked up to me; this kid named Emil. Everything I said to him seemed to sink in ever so slightly. I appreciated that. Aster would look up at me with those same eyes… laugh with all the expressions that this kid had. Maybe being with Emil wouldn't be that bad. At least… that was what I thought until we found Marta.

He stood up to me then; told me to stop and leave the girl alone. What was I supposed to do? She had Ratatosk's core… the very thing that I needed to destroy and be rid of forever. Once the demon lord was out of the way then I could guard the gate while Aster walked the surface. I could live with that… knowing that he was alive again.

Emil wouldn't budge from his decision though and he became a protector for Marta. He became a Knight of Ratatosk.

In some way I had felt betrayed. What happened to the kid that had looked up to me with his green eyes? What happened to listening to the advice I was giving? Those were the thoughts that were running through my head as I traveled to Palmacosta. I knew that Alice was there, and she would have been waiting for orders.

It was only by chance that I came across both him and Marta and the Centurian as they were leaving. Again he defended her as my rage took over to attack. He should have been on my side, not hers. He should have been talking and laughing and learning with me, just as Aster had. Marta didn't deserve his friendship… not when I needed it so badly.

On my time alone, I sat and thought solemnly to myself. I didn't need anyone else. The only person I needed was dead… and his look-a-like was traveling with my enemy. Didn't I deserve a traveling companion? Was I really such an abomination?

"_Don't say that Richter. You know that's not true,"_ Aster's voice murmured as if it was in my ear… so close but so far away.

"I don't know what I know anymore," I murmured back, staring into the fire's flames.

"R-Richter… is that you?"

I snapped up slightly at the sudden presence of another person. Getting to my feet, I drew my weapons on instinct.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry if I startled you," Emil stated nervously, flinching slightly.

"What are you doing here?" I asked emotionlessly, my red orbs looking at his slightly tanned face.

"I saw another fire a-and thought that I-I should check it out," he explained, rubbing the back of his head slightly with his nervousness.

"You don't have to be so afraid you know," I told him, "I'm not out to hurt you."

'_I never wanted to be your enemy…' _I thought as my eyes looked at the ground as I turned my head away slightly.

Sheathing my weapons, I straightened up and looked at the kid again. He really was just like Aster.

"I know," he laughed slightly, "You actually scared me more than I scared you."

I chuckled slightly with his words.

"Does Marta know what you're doing?" I asked, locking eyes with him.

"She thinks I'm getting firewood," Emil admitted rather sheepishly.

I took a step forward and he looked confused at my actions.

I couldn't help it. My body reacted on its own with the need to be near him again. I didn't really blame him for being confused either.

"So I guess you're really not a dog after all," I mused slightly, a small half smirk gracing my lips.

"Um Richter…"

"…Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?" the kid asked; his tone more quiet than usual.

"I don't see why not," I stated, watching him rather intently.

"H-how come you're so nice to me… but so mean to other people?"

The question had caught me completely off-guard. That hadn't been something I was expecting him to ask… He must have seen me falter in answering because he continued.

"I'm not really assertive and I know my nervousness gets annoying sometimes… but everyone else doesn't like me. You were the first person to show any kindness to me," he explained, his fingers fiddling with each other, "But I see how you treat other people that are better and more likable than me and it seems like you hate them…"

I smiled slightly as I didn't hear him stutter once in those sentences. _'When he's got something to say he knows he can't be afraid.' _

"It's because they hate me," I muttered rather coldly, turning my head slightly to keep my cold glare at something other than him, "I'm a half elf… so people see me differently than they would see you. They hate me for what I am, so I return the favor."

Out of the corner of my eye I could see his expression drop slightly before I turned my attention back to him. My eyes were softer now as I looked into the shades of green in his eyes.

"In reality… you were the first person to ignore my appearance to speak to me. You were the person to treat me with kindness," I explained rather quietly.

My hand lifted to his face as he looked up at me with confusion. My fingers traced his jaw bone lightly before my palm rested on his cheek.

When I said that to him… I wasn't just referring to Emil himself, but to Aster as well. Aster had stood up for me… defended me… treated me with kindness and respected me completely as an equal. If Emil hadn't been traveling with Marta and was traveling along side me as he should have been, then I assumed that the kid would have done the exact same as my lost best friend.

The ache in my heart grew at the thought. I could feel the burning anguish and the loneliness creeping up on me then. I didn't want to be alone anymore. I wanted my friend back… I wanted to love my friend with everything I had. _'No… I don't just want his friendship. I want __**him**__.' _

I couldn't stop myself as I leaned down slightly toward Emil. To me Emil and Aster were the same person. The same face… the same voice… the same smell… the same outlook… In my eyes, Emil **was** Aster.

"R-Richter are you okay?" he asked with confusion when I was closer to him.

My hand tilted his head upward slightly as I leaned down and pressed my lips to his. I pulled his smaller frame to mine and held him closely.

The muscles in his back felt stiffened; from shock I assumed. I didn't expect him to kiss me back or return the embrace. When his arms wrapped around my waist and his lips pressed back against mine I smiled slightly on the inside. I got what I wanted at least… for a little while…

**End of One Shot**

_So… was it okay? I actually played this Tales game so if I got something wrong let me know and I'll be sure to look into it. Please don't eat me. –sliding bow down—_

_Thank you so much for reading. I appreciate it. Please R&R. _

_halfdemon-kai_


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